How Summer Should Really Start
by StanaTorv
Summary: Yes, I know, another post finale fic. This one I have nixed Gina, cause seriously she ruined it.


_AN: I fixed the ending. I nixed Gina cos she really came from left field and I felt very sad. _

_Special thanks to my friend Steph who sat through this episode again to get the last piece of dialogue for me cos I couldn't do it while I was at work._

_This is dedicated to all Castle fans who wanted a happy ending for our favourite crime fighting team_

**How Summer Should Really Start**

She was gonna do it, Kate was going to tell Castle how she felt. Walking into the break room and grabbing a beer she heard Lanie say to Castle that he would want to take Kate in a drinking contest. Feeling brave and a little bit flirty, Kate replied, "I don't need a drink to take Castle."

"Girl, what's gotten into you?" Lanie hooted.

Ducking her head and leaning close to the man in question and asked, "Castle, do you have a second?"

"Sure," he replied as the two got up and went out of the conference room; the eyes of Ryan, Esposito, Lanie and Captain Montgomery on them as they did so.

"What's up?" Castle asked.

Fidgeting around with her beer, Kate replied hesitantly, "Look, I know that I'm not the easiest person to get to know. And...I don't always let on what's on my mind but, this past year, working with you...I've had a really good time."

"Yeah, me too," Castle nodded in agreement.

Trying to come up with the right words to say Kate fumbled and continued, "So, I-I'm just gonna say this and…what I'm trying to say Castle is, um…that I broke up with Tom," she admitted.

Shocked, Castle replied with fake sincerity, "I'm sorry." Castle never really liked the guy anyway for encroaching on his territory.

Smiling, Kate just shook her head, "No you're not, and don't even try to deny it. I know you, Castle."

"Yeah you do," he agreed, "you know me better than anyone, but you forget, Kate, I know you too."

Dropping her head, Beckett stepped back and rested on the edge of a desk with Castle slowly following her and standing directly in front of her. The tears that were threatening to fall now freely rolled down her cheeks. Reaching his hand out to brush the tears away, Castle whispered, "Don't cry, Kate."

He pulled her into his chest and soothed her by leisurely running his hands up and down her arms and telling her over and over that he knew her; the real Kate.

Unbeknownst to the pair, four sets of eyes followed their every move from the conference room. These eyes shone with happiness and maybe a hint of relief not what the status would become quo once again.

After about five minutes, Kate's tears dried up and she pulled away from the strong set of arms that held her tightly. Never before has she felt so safe in the embrace of a man. Sniffing and wiping away the remnants of the tears, Beckett looked up at Castle with a smile on her face.

"Thank you, Rick; and you're right, you do know me. You know me so well that it scares the hell out of me."

"You don't need to be scared anymore, Kate. I won't hurt you; you mean too much to me," Castle replied to her sincerely.

Kate looked into his eyes and only saw the truth, "I know. I'm only just starting to realise that, and I'm sorry it's taken me this long to open my eyes."

Smiling, Castle accepted her apology, "It's ok, really. You had to be sure that I wasn't playing around, that I was being serious with you or not. Call it a woman's prerogative."

Kate laughed, "Yes, I guess it is; but I should tell you, I care about you too, more than I ever thought possible. I'm giving you my heart, Rick, don't break it, I couldn't take it," she begged.

Taking her ands in his, Castle placed a kiss inside both her palms, "Believe me Kate; it would break me first if I ever hurt you."

"I believe you; you've never given me a reason not to."

"Good," he whispered in reply as their faces got closer together. Kate realised this and decided to jump in and close the gap between them. The kiss was slow and allowed them to get a feel for each other, and Castle not wanting to push her, held back and let Kate lead. Sensing his reluctance, she pulled back with a questioning look on her face.

"What? Have you forgotten how to kiss a girl, Castle?" Beckett asked him smartly.

Feeling slightly offended, he replied indignantly, "No!"

"Then what's holding you back?"

"I don't want to push you, Kate. I don't want to be your rebound guy. I want to be _**the**_ guy," he tried to explain.

Beckett nodded, "Ok, I get it. But know that you're not pushing, Castle. I want this, and as for being my rebound, you're far from that. Tom and I never even really got to third."

Breathing a sigh of relief, Castle closed the space between them once more and this time he didn't hold back in putting a whole lot more passion into the kiss. His arms slid around her waist and pulled her close as her arms wrapped around his neck and curled her fingers in his hair. Their tongues duelled for supremacy as the kiss intensified and the need for air became more apparent, although that didn't stop them. Not even the sound of loud clapping and cheering coming from the conference room could deter them from their present course. Soon the need for air became too much and they broke apart only to rest their foreheads together, both panting slightly.

"So, is that offer of the weekend in the Hamptons still on the table?" Kate asked with a huge grin on her face.

Matching her grin, Castle replied, "Most definitely, does this mean you'll be breaking out the swimsuit?"

Beckett laughed, "Hmmmm, I'm not sure, perhaps skinny dipping or more my thing after all," she replied as she pulled herself off the desk and grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair with one hand and laced hers and Castle's fingers together in the other, and led them to the elevator. As they walked past the window where their colleagues sat, they both looked in quickly to see three stunned faces and one face beaming with happiness and giving her favourite couple a two-thumbs up.

Stepping onto the elevator, Rick reached around and pulled Kate closer to him and thought to himself, '_This is going to be the best summer ever.'_

~El fin~

Please R&R, I love to read feedback on my fics. It makes me happy. All mistakes are mine as usual as the only beta reader I have is myself. 


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